Wuthering

Wuthering

Heights

Heights

(1847)

(1847)

by

by

Emily Bronte

Emily Bronte

Contextualization

Contextualization



Wuthering Heights is a romance with a lot

Wuthering Heights is a romance with a lot

of gothic elements and it’s the only novel

of gothic elements and it’s the only novel

by Emily Bronte

by Emily Bronte



It was published in 1847 under the

It was published in 1847 under the

pseudonym Ellis Bell

pseudonym Ellis Bell



It did not meet with immediate success.

It did not meet with immediate success.



Readers were shocked by the inhuman and

Readers were shocked by the inhuman and

cruel details, by the hatred and revenge

cruel details, by the hatred and revenge

pervading the story

pervading the story



It tells about the love story between

It tells about the love story between

Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff and it is

Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff and it is

a story of passionate love and revenge.

a story of passionate love and revenge.

The structure

The structure



The narrative structure employs two levels

The narrative structure employs two levels

of

narration

and

two

narrators,Mr

of

narration

and

two

narrators,Mr

Lockwood and Nelly Dean,the tenant and

Lockwood and Nelly Dean,the tenant and

the housekeeper of Thrushcross Grange

the housekeeper of Thrushcross Grange



The narration does not proceed according

The narration does not proceed according

to chronological time

to chronological time



It starts at the end of the story and

It starts at the end of the story and

develops a narrative within the narrative,

develops a narrative within the narrative,

including the use of flashbacks

including the use of flashbacks

Plot

Plot



The novel opens in 1801,when Lockwood

The novel opens in 1801,when Lockwood

arrives at Thrushcross Grange, a grand

arrives at Thrushcross Grange, a grand

house near Wuthering Heights, where he

house near Wuthering Heights, where he

meets Heathcliff

meets Heathcliff



Lockwood is forced to stay at W.H. for a

Lockwood is forced to stay at W.H. for a

night, because of a snowstorm

night, because of a snowstorm



During the night Lockwood has a terrifying

During the night Lockwood has a terrifying

dream of Catherine’s ghost appearing at

dream of Catherine’s ghost appearing at

his window

his window

Plot

Plot



The following day Lockwood returns to T.G.

The following day Lockwood returns to T.G.

and the housekeeper, Nelly Dean, tells him

and the housekeeper, Nelly Dean, tells him

the story of Wuthering Heights

the story of Wuthering Heights



Mr Earnshaw, Catherine and Hindley’s

Mr Earnshaw, Catherine and Hindley’s

father, comes back from Liverpool with a

father, comes back from Liverpool with a

foundling, Heathcliff

foundling, Heathcliff



He is hated by Hindley, but he is loved by

He is hated by Hindley, but he is loved by

Catherine

Catherine



Catherine is bitten by one of Lintons’ dogs

Catherine is bitten by one of Lintons’ dogs

and she is forced to stay for five weeks at

and she is forced to stay for five weeks at

T.G., where she knows Edgar

T.G., where she knows Edgar

Plot

Plot



Heathcliff leaves W.H. and some years later

Heathcliff leaves W.H. and some years later

Catherine marries Edgar

Catherine marries Edgar



Heathcliff returns after three years handsome and

Heathcliff returns after three years handsome and

rich. After Hindley’s death he becomes the new

rich. After Hindley’s death he becomes the new

ownership of W.H.

ownership of W.H.



Then Heathcliff marries Edgar’s sister, Isabella

Then Heathcliff marries Edgar’s sister, Isabella

and they have a son, Linton

and they have a son, Linton



Catherine fells ill and dies giving birth to a

Catherine fells ill and dies giving birth to a

daughter, Cathy

daughter, Cathy

Plot

Plot



Heathcliff kidnaps Cathy and forces her to

Heathcliff kidnaps Cathy and forces her to

marry Linton who dies. Heathcliff becomes

marry Linton who dies. Heathcliff becomes

the owner of T.G.

the owner of T.G.



Lockwood leaves W.H.; he returns after a

Lockwood leaves W.H.; he returns after a

year and he finds out that Heatchliff is

year and he finds out that Heatchliff is

dead and Cathy and Hareton, Hindley’s

dead and Cathy and Hareton, Hindley’s

son, are going to get married

son, are going to get married



The story concludes with Lockwood visiting

The story concludes with Lockwood visiting

Catherine and Heathcliff’s graves

Catherine and Heathcliff’s graves

”

”

I am Heathcliff, he’s always,

I am Heathcliff, he’s always,

always in my mind

always in my mind

”

”

Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights

Mr and Mrs Earnshaw

Frances+Hindley

(Heathcliff)

Catherine+Edgar

Hareton

Cathy

Thrushcross

Grange

Mr and Mrs Linton

Catherine+Edgar

Isabella+Heathcliff

Cathy

Linton

HEATHCLIFF:

he

is a fictional character;

is a fictional character;

he is often regarded as a

he is often regarded as a

Romantic

Romantic

Byronic hero.

Byronic hero.

His passions destroy both

His passions destroy both

himself and those around him.

himself and those around him. His
complicated nature makes him a rare
character with components of both the
hero and the anti-hero. He is moved by
irresistible passion, doomed to the despair
of a solitary life. He is characterised as
passionate, dark, brooding and vindictive.

The main

The main

characters

characters



HEATHCLIFF-CATHERINE:

HEATHCLIFF-CATHERINE:

Heathcliff is defined by his

thwarted

love

for

Catherine, his foster sister.

His vengeful reaction to

Catherine’s betrayal when

she marries his rival, Edgar

Linton,is best evinced in

the following sentences:

“Why did you betray your

own heart,Cathy?I have

not one word of comfort.

You have killed yourself.Y

es,you may kiss me,and

cry; and wring out my

kisses and tears: they’ll

blight you,they’ll damn

you.I have not broken your

heart, you have broken it;

and in breaking it, you

have broken mine”.



HEATHCLIFF-HINDLEY:

HEATHCLIFF-HINDLEY:

Hindley, Catherine’s

brother, is the sworn

enemy of Heathcliff.

He

hates Heathcliff because

he felt supplanted in his

father's affections by the

other boy, and Heathcliff

hates him even more in

return.



HEATHCLIFF-EDGAR:

HEATHCLIFF-EDGAR:

In contrast to Heathcliff’s

savage

and

tyrannical

nature, Edgar is a gently

bred,

refined

man,

a

patient husband and a

loving father. Edgar feels a

strong

dislike

for

Catherine’s passion for

Heathcliff.

CATHERINE

:

Catherine is beautiful and

Catherine is beautiful and

charming, she

charming, she

has a strong personality,

has a strong personality,

she is determined and not very kind in her

she is determined and not very kind in her

manners

manners.

Catherine possesses a wild,

passionate nature. If Heathcliff can be
considered the main protagonist of
Wuthering

Heights,

 then

Catherine

Earnshaw is the dominant female spirit
which prevails the novel. The love which
she professes for Heathcliff is not mere
romantic love; neither is it based on mere
physical attraction, it is an identification,
a union of souls-: "Without Heathcliff" she
says "the universe would turn to a mighty
stranger".

Themes

Themes



OPPOSITE PRINCIPLES

OPPOSITE PRINCIPLES

The novel is built around the

The novel is built around the

contrast between the two

contrast between the two

houses,Wuthering Heights

houses,Wuthering Heights

and Thrushcross

and Thrushcross

Grange.W.H.represents the

Grange.W.H.represents the

principle of storm and

principle of storm and

energy,while T.G.the

energy,while T.G.the

principle of calm.The two

principle of calm.The two

houses are complementary

houses are complementary

and they tend to unity.At

and they tend to unity.At

the end a harmony will

the end a harmony will

finally compose with the

finally compose with the

marriage between Hareton

marriage between Hareton

and Cathy.

and Cathy.



DEATH

DEATH

Unlike other Victorian

Unlike other Victorian

novels,in Wuthering

novels,in Wuthering

Heights death is not an

Heights death is not an

end,but a liberation of the

end,but a liberation of the

spirit.The novel closes with

spirit.The novel closes with

the vision of Heathcliff and

the vision of Heathcliff and

Catherine’s graves,but the

Catherine’s graves,but the

author says that they are

author says that they are

sleeping,not dead.

sleeping,not dead.

Themes

Themes



THE ATYPICAL WOMAN

THE ATYPICAL WOMAN

In Catherine’s actions we can recognize the

In Catherine’s actions we can recognize the

atypicality of her personality respect to the ideal

atypicality of her personality respect to the ideal

woman of the Victorian age. Catherine is a

woman of the Victorian age. Catherine is a

passionate heroine who contrasts with the

passionate heroine who contrasts with the

stereotype of the woman of the Victorian age,

stereotype of the woman of the Victorian age,

because during this period the ideal woman was

because during this period the ideal woman was

the angel in the house. Catherine, instead, for

the angel in the house. Catherine, instead, for

ex., shows her love for her foster brother going

ex., shows her love for her foster brother going

against her family.

against her family.



THE SOCIAL PREJUDICES

THE SOCIAL PREJUDICES

Catherine rejects Heatchliff beause he is socially

Catherine rejects Heatchliff beause he is socially

inferior. Edgar is preferred because of the values

inferior. Edgar is preferred because of the values

he represents: wealth and social position

he represents: wealth and social position

Links

Links

Gothic elements

Gothic elements



The atmosphere of the

The atmosphere of the

settings, that is

settings, that is

sinister and sublime

sinister and sublime

because of the stormy

because of the stormy

weather

weather



Catherine’s ghost

Catherine’s ghost



The dreams

The dreams



The superstitions

The superstitions



The graves

The graves

Romantic elements

Romantic elements



Human emotions
such as hatred and
love



The Romantic hero



The correspondence
between the violent
passions of the
characters and the
wild natural landscape

The End

The End